


what if the whole world finds you waiting?

by juniees



Category: Bleach
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, Magical Realism, also she’s a mermaid, and rukia on that hot girl shit, just 45 minutes of ichigo panicking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:48:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23324224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juniees/pseuds/juniees
Summary: "Ichigo!" She says, "Look! I have legs now!"Rukia shows off her new limbs proudly, clearly very impressed with the fact that she happened to grow them overnight.Ichigo feels his mouth grow dry, not because the mermaid who saved his life yesterday was now mobile, but because she was very, very much naked.“R-Rukia” He strangles out, “You’re naked!”She looks down with an soft “oh” and with a particularly feral grin, Rukia says, “You can stop staring now Ichigo”
Relationships: Kuchiki Rukia/Kurosaki Ichigo
Comments: 6
Kudos: 39





	what if the whole world finds you waiting?

How much of his life has he wasted in waiting? 

How many minutes has he spared waiting for a mother that has been dead for eleven years?

How many seconds has passed him by, waiting for a girl (no, not a just girl—she was something else entirely) who disappeared without a word, without hesitation?

The waves roar in protest, and Ichigo feelstorn between laughing and gasping. He looks to the sea, both rueful and remorseful. 

The water is more black than blue, darkened by the stillness of night.

The vast string of constellations reflect against the inky surface, mimicking the starry sky. Ichigo steps into the water, the ocean breeze curling around his person, the universe and all her galaxies lapping at his ankles.

And he waits once more.

.

_one year ago,_ karakura town

.

This is the third time in two weeks where the Asanos stroll into Kurosaki clinic.

Honestly, Ichigo isn’t even surprised anymore. Between the little demon who somehow finds a new, innovative way hurt himself and his equally demonic, and (frankly) overbearing mother, you’d think that they’d been in more often. 

Ichigo mans the check-in desk with mind numbing boredom, so the Asanos appearance is a welcome change of pace.

“Can you believe it?” Asano-san leans against the counter, palming her forehead, “Who thinks that practicing wrestling jumps from a tree is a good idea?? A literal tree??”

Ichigo eyes the little culprit wearily, who manages to look unapologetically smug under the abundance of bandaids slapped on his face.

Keigo rolls his eyes and leans forward as if to say some big secret, “It’s because he was trying to impress his little crush. It’s honestly a smart move....y’know why haven’t I thought about-

“Anyway” His mother cuts him off sharply, “How are you doing Kurosaki? You still swimming?”

Ichigo gives a pause, shooting a look at Keigo who looks rightfully embarrassed, and, “No, I don’t swim anymore”

She whistles, “What a shame. Everyone always talked about how fast you were, they said you would could go big time, like, the Olympics or something. Why’d you stop?”

Ichigo wants to tell her that he stops because the reason that his mom is buried six feet under is because she was walking him back from swim practice. And that they stayed later than she wanted to because Ichigo had begged “just five more minutes” again and again and again. 

He wants to tell her that by the time Masaki managed to persuade him out of the water it was already dark out. He wants to say that the drunk driver who was carelessly barreling through the streets didn’t see them and that his mother pushed him out of the way before he could be hit. 

He wants to say that it’s all his fault and if he hadn’t cared about swimming so goddamn much than his mother would still  be alive today. 

But instead he says, “The chlorine hurt my eyes”

Asano-san laughs lightly, “I thought that’s what goggles were for kid”

Ichigo bites back whatever scathing retort his mind conjures and directs them to the waiting area to the side.

“Hey” Keigo grins sheepishly, “Sorry bout all that, mom’s kinda a psycho y’know?”

Ichigo’s scowl deepens

“B-but anyway, there’s the party by the beach tonight! I know you don’t do water and everything but there’s gonna be a huge bonfire and Inoue-chan is gonna be there” Keigo rattles off excitedly, “You should come buddy!!”

Ichigo stares at his friend, and Keigo—despite being one of the more dense individuals in Ichigo’s life—backs down immediately.

“Just wanted to extend the offer” He mutters lamely 

“Thanks” Ichigo grunts, and points his pen to the waiting area, “I think your mom wants you for something”

“Shit” Keigo curses, “Better not be about my grade in science, see ya Ichigo”

Ichigo juts his chin in farewell and returns to his calculus textbook, trying not to think of the box of swimming medals stuffed in the corner of his closet and what they had cost him.

.

Karakura is a different town entirely in the winter. Once the sleepiness of September rolls around, the tourists begin to wade out before disappearing entirely. 

The beaches, once abundant with families donned in neon bathing suits and cases of sunscreen, become empty. Only dedicated surfers and the stray beach dwellers come around.  Ice cream shops and diners grow accustom to steadily serving the locals and the souvenir stands close down for the season. 

Ichigo prefers the quiet of the off season, likes how the town hunkers down for the winter. Everything is more peaceful, more sincere. It felts like the town belongs to it’s people instead of the droves of tourists that visit in the summer. 

Ichigo stands out on his balcony over looking the sand and the sea. He can barely tell the difference between the two in the dwindling light, but still he finds peace here anyway with the salty breeze raking through his hair.

He scrolls mindlessly through his phone, leaning against the wooden railing. His screen is lit up with different pictures of his friends enjoying their bonfire. Ichigo feels no regret in not accepting Keigo’s invitation, especially after not seeing the various pictures of Keigo inhaling cans of cheap beer.

He sends a quick prayer for Mizuiro who will definitely have to handle that mess later. 

Ichigo’s phone starts to buzz in his hand and he grunts at the caller ID. He entertains not answering it for a second but brings the phone to his ear anyway and, “Keigo, how many times have I told you not to call me when you’re drunk?”

“I-Ichigo” His friend sounds urgent, “You need to come to the beach, r-right now”

Ichigo stiffens, pressing the phone closer to his ear, “Keigo? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Tatsuki, you need to hurry buddy” 

Without further questioning, Ichigo pockets his phone and hurries out his back door into the night. 

.

Tatsuki, as it turns out, is just fine.

And Ichigo? Well Ichigo is pissed.

“What the hell is this?” Ichigo seethes at the sight of his friends carrying on their merriment. There is no signs of duress, no signs of trouble, and Tatsuki is a picture of health. 

“Ichigo?” Tatsuki approaches, “I thought you weren’t coming”

“He wasn’t!” Keigo exclaims proudly, sloshing a beer on the sand, “But I got him here!”

“You called him didn’t you” Tatsuki grits her teeth, “Dammit Keigo! Everyone said no to your stupid idea!”

“B-but it worked didn’t it?” Keigo slurs innocently 

“So you’re okay?” Ichigo manages through his rising temper 

“Yeah, I’m good” Tatsuki is apologetic, “Listen Ichigo, you should just stay. I mean you’re here anyway aren’t you?”

Ichigo looked at the flame kissed faces of his friends, their expressions range from that of sympathy to embarrassment. It makes his stomach curl. Inoue steps forward, “You should Kurosaki-Kun! We’ll have fun!”

He shakes his head with a rough, “No thanks” and sends a scathing look to Keigo for putting him in such an uncomfortable situation.

Ichigo turns and walks away from the fire before anyone else can protest, hands shoved in his pockets

.

He doesn’t come home right away. Even though he loves his family—really loves them, sometimes Ichigo can’t stand to be in that house. Not with his mom’s likeness plastered on a giant poster than his father preens too, not with the vague feeling of emptiness—of a space that should be filled, of a person that should be there.

Instead Ichigo walks past the sands and the shores to the hills and cliffs that reign over the ocean. He stops near the edge of a cliff, eyes the ocean below and considers it with a scowl.

In moments like this, between the space and the silence, Ichigo just wants to scream. 

Not because his angry or sad or hurt, he just wants to take whatever weight is burdening his chest and release into the world so that maybe he can be free. If not for just a second.

He never does though.

Instead, Ichigo just watches the waves crash against rock. Just watches and remembers what it feels like to be at the mercy of the sea. Sometimes he misses it. But mostly he curses it. 

What he doesn’t notice, nor remember is that it rained yesterday, making the soil and rock under his feet unstable.

And by the time he realizes that the ground is too uneven to handle his weight, it’s too late and he’s sent hurdling down into the mouth of the ocean, swallowed whole by the waves. 

.

lchigo comes to with sand in his mouth and saltwater stinging his eyes and a sputtered, “Holy fuck”

He brings a hand to his throbbing temple and it comes back wet with blood.  Ichigo gives a pained grunt and weakly pulls himself up against the wall. He looks around, assessing the cave he somehow managed to end up at with confusion.  All he can remember is tumbling over the edge of the cliffs into the water below. There is no logical reason explaining how he ended up in this alcove. 

Except maybe for the purple eyes that blink owlishly back at him, wide and insistent with curiosity. 

Ichigo stares back at her, lips parted in soft surprise and _really_ what the actual hell is going on?

She lifts her head fully out of the water, revealing a delicate pointed chin and pouty lips. Long inky hair swirls around her in tendrils, and two hands spring from the water to brush back the stubborn bang that hangs between those eyes.

_God_ those eyes.

What color where they? Ichigo can’t pinpoint it, can’t even begin to name all the colors swirling in those irises.  His mind goes to his mother’s book of pressed flowers, thinks of hollyhocks and lily of the niles, sweet peas and morning glories. 

“Um” Ichigo manages lamely, “Who are you?”

She says nothing, does nothing. All she does is just stare at him like he was some anomaly.

_Right,_ like he was the one just hanging out in the water, not saying a damn thing.

“Okay great” Ichigo mutters, wincing as he readjusts himself, “Really just fucking fantastic”

Ichigo feels his face grow hot under her scrutinizing stare. 

“So what? Are you just gonna stare at me? Do you speak, can you even comprehend what I’m saying right now?”

She blinks and okay, he has every right to be a little annoyed at this point.

“I fell off that cliff last night, I should be...” _Dead,_ or at least mangled in some way, “Did you bring me here?”

She tilts her head to the side. 

“You know what?” Ichigo jerks forward, thoroughly annoyed, “Forget it, it’s just my fucking luck to be stuck with a mute and wh-whoa wait a minute what are you-

She rises up revealing the sharp points of her collarbone and a naked chest. 

And Ichigo basically catches on fire.

She leans forward, nose to nose with him. Ichigo’s breath stutters in his throat as shehums, brushing her cheek against his.

“W-what the-“

She pulls back, a little half smile enchanting her face and something splashes behind her.

“...fuck” Ichigo finishes, eyes drawn to the iridescent fin that glides lazily in the water. 

He openly stares, virgin panic all but forgotten as this point as he draws a line from chest down to the milky expanse of toned abdominal muscles to rounded hips that merge with the same opaline scales that make up the tail.

_Mermaid,_ his mind whispers.

The last thread of composure that was barely managing to hold Ichigo together snaps. 

_Okay, okay_. Ichigo feels himself start to shake, and _okay you fell right? You took one hell of a fall and now you’re suffering a head injury._

_ Think, what did the old man say about head injuries? Was hallucinations a part of that equation? Or maybe he was in a deep coma where creatures like mermaids could exist??  That had to be it right? Hallucinations and comas. Mermaids aren’t real, mermaids  _ are not _ fucking real and- _

“Fuck, please don’t eat me” Ichigo finally says

The fish-girl-thing thing has the audacity to look positively offended by his plea. She gives him a look before promptly disappearing into the water.

Ichigo stares at the rippling water she left behind, feeling unsettled and more than a little confounded. 

Not even a minute passes before the girl pops back up again and squirts a mouthful of water right in his face.

Ichigo let’s out a noise mixed between shock and protest and he furiously wipes his face with his sleeves, “Crazy bitch! Y-you can’t just go around-

She gets in his face again, effectively making Ichigo go quiet. The creature gives him a hooded eye smile that’s all smoke and secrets.

She leans in close and with an exhale of cool air, “First things first, I don’t play with my food”

**Author's Note:**

> headcanons for this chapter: 
> 
> \- baby ichigo used to wear his goggles to school (bc he is a dork but we’ve been known)
> 
> \- bonfires are a tradition for the karakura kids. chad brings his guitar, mizuiro brings the beer, and keigo brings the chaos (tatsuki brings the punishment...and the beach blankets bc she’s the mom friend) 
> 
> \- ichigo has only attended (1) of these bonfires and promptly left after keigo suggested skinny dipping and spin the bottle within two minutes of each other. 
> 
> \- tatsuki is a lifeguard and is really great at it bc let’s face it, sis is REEKING with big dick energy. 
> 
> (sorry this chapter was EW but like we love laying the foundations for a cute lil story) 
> 
> (also trying not to make this shit depressing and actual write something idk happy for once) 
> 
> (read: but like there is and will be moments of :’( in there because DRAMAAA)


End file.
